# Obama and Divisiveness **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 8, 2016, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286 "2016-03-08T15:38:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/301 "2016-05-20T21:27:08Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by DerekMichaels00 > sometimes, its hard not to be upset with him given how he treats Israel, especially when the Jews were the most friendly non-black group to the civil rights movement, to Democratic and progressive causes over the years, etc. It smacks of ungratefulness, which I personally am insulted by. It then leads me to look at his worldview. I underlined a part of this that just struck me petty hard. You think Obama should be grateful to the nation of Israel because _American Jews_ have tended to support the civil rights movement and progressive causes? I could see you point if Obama was mistreating American Jews, but dear god, why would he have to be nice to Israel because of something many American Jews have done? PS: He’s been perfectly fine to Israel. ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/302 "2016-05-20T22:27:53Z")
**DerekMichaels00** , your take on Obama’s comments was destroyed by a simple quote the man’s words. The smart play would have been to acknowledge that your memory of what he said was incorrect, and the emotions of the time lead you to believe his comments were racially charged, when in fact they were not, but that you still have other problems with Obama. But whatever demons this president has brought out in you will not let you see that. The cold, dispassionate facts are completely irrelevant. It’s taking longer than we thought, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/303 "2016-05-20T22:54:39Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > If that isn’t making it about race before all the facts were known, which it wasn’t actually about, given what transpired and was exposed at the trial, and Zimmerman being not white himself (in fact, like Obama, Zimmerman was half white and thus his son would’ve looked more like Zimmerman’s son than Trayvon), I don’t know what is making it about race. Geeze. Obama identifying with grieving parents because he’s a parent himself isn’t dictating the terms of a criminal case in Florida. > [@](#): > > Obama should’ve done what Clinton did about OJ; keep quiet until all was said, tried, and done. I think you’re forgetting the context here. Martin was killed on February 26th. The Sanford PD carried out an investigation that was criticized as being perfunctory. Under pressure, the Sanford PD turned the investigation over to the Florida State Attorney, where a special prosecutor was eventually appointed. This is the context of Obama’s remarks: many, many people are concerned that the shooting is being whitewashed and/or inadequately investigated. That’s why the majority of his remarks were about that very issue. Nothing like that happened with OJ Simpson. The LAPD did a terrible job with the case, but there was no public perception that they didn’t want to charge Simpson. > [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > This so-called “white privilege” is not some “privilege” at all…in all societies, the majority race/ethnicity is the one in the best societal position. A) _That’s what a privilege is_ an unearned benefit; and b) that’s not true, there are many examples of minorities occupying the top social strata of a country: Alawites in Syria, Catholics in Vietnam, whites in pre-Apartheid South Africa, and so forth. > [@](#): > > Its not worth trying to “eliminate” white “privilege” by whining about it to elicit guilt and voluntary lowering of standards for things, erasing history, radically changing culture, or expectations of behavior. How come Hispanics and other groups which had a rough start don’t make the kind of thing of it some AAs make (tho some far-left types want to make all non-whites into “marginalized peoples”)? Are you actually openly opposing racial equality here, or did you express yourself poorly? ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/304 "2016-05-20T23:44:57Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > Are you actually openly opposing racial equality here, or did you express yourself poorly? As I said in an earlier post, I 100% support equal legal rights and treatment, or equality of opportunity for all races/ethnicities. I cannot say I’m into the equality of outcome bit. ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/305 "2016-05-21T01:29:20Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > As I said in an earlier post, I 100% support equal legal rights and treatment, or equality of opportunity for all races/ethnicities. I cannot say I’m into the equality of outcome bit. How can you possibly square that with saying it’s not worth trying to eliminate white privilege, and listing a parade of horribles that would come from doing so? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/306 "2016-05-21T01:57:47Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > This so-called “white privilege” is not some “privilege” at all…in all societies, the majority race/ethnicity is the one in the best societal position… Whoa really? Who was the majority in S. Africa during apartheid? Hint: it wasn’t Afrikaaners. ---
**Author:** ![inscrutable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a88e4f/32.png) [@inscrutable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inscrutable)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/307 "2016-05-21T02:04:06Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > How can you possibly square that with saying it’s not worth trying to eliminate white privilege, and listing a parade of horribles that would come from doing so? How do you suggest society eliminate this “white privilege” you speak of? ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/308 "2016-05-21T02:04:26Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > A) _That’s what a privilege is_ an unearned benefit; and b) that’s not true, there are many examples of minorities occupying the top social strata of a country: Alawites in Syria, Catholics in Vietnam, whites in pre-Apartheid South Africa, and so forth. Tutsis in Rwanda… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/309 "2016-05-21T02:07:19Z")
Dagnabbit I hate “me-tooing” when I don’t realize it. Or, for that matter, when I do. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/310 "2016-05-21T04:19:55Z")
> [@inscrutable](#): > > How do you suggest society eliminate this “white privilege” you speak of? Figure out what the barriers are that make things harder for minorities, and do everything we can to eliminate those barriers ---
**Author:** ![Commodore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Commodore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Commodore)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/311 "2016-05-21T05:30:14Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > Figure out what the barriers are that make things harder for minorities, and do everything we can to eliminate those barriers How do you think that is going to truly work out for the best. The only barrier people have is themselves. Most people have been brainwashed to believe wealth is everything, that’s BS. Most of the true real wealthy are the poorest people you could come across in fact and some of the poorest are the happiest people, only TV and the media runabout trying to create division. TV and the media work to create inferiority complex’s in all people. The TV media are the biggest shit stirring bastards in history, fact is it’s this mob that have created wars and spin the biggest load of total BS of all. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/312 "2016-05-21T07:46:51Z")
> [@Commodore](#): > > How do you think that is going to truly work out for the best. > > The only barrier people have is themselves. > > Most people have been brainwashed to believe wealth is everything, that’s BS. > Most of the true real wealthy are the poorest people you could come across in fact and some of the poorest are the happiest people, only TV and the media runabout trying to create division. > > TV and the media work to create inferiority complex’s in all people. > > The TV media are the biggest shit stirring bastards in history, fact is it’s this mob that have created wars and spin the biggest load of total BS of all. \ ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/313 "2016-05-21T13:02:39Z")
> [@inscrutable](#): > > How do you suggest society eliminate this “white privilege” you speak of? > [@DoctorJ](#): > > Figure out what the barriers are that make things harder for minorities, and do everything we can to eliminate those barriers Yes, that, with a particular focus on problems that disproportionately affect people on the basis of their race, such as the lack of inherited wealth and home ownership among black Americans. In short: work to undo the deliberately racists policies of past eras, and instill the ideal of racial (and gender, and religious, and so forth) equality in subsequent generations. Then, wait for older generations to pass away. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/314 "2016-05-21T15:02:02Z")
> [@Commodore](#): > > The TV media are the biggest shit stirring bastards in history, fact is it’s this mob that have created wars and spin the biggest load of total BS of all. Well, it’s certainly true that there was no war before TV. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/315 "2016-05-21T16:52:15Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > Whoa really? Who was the majority in S. Africa during apartheid? Hint: it wasn’t Afrikaaners. but America is not an apartheid nation, nor has ever been. Blacks are 13% of the country; whites are anywhere from 65% (excl. Hispanics) to 78 (incl. Hispanics). In South Africa, whites were 10%, blacks 75%, and coloureds (mixed race) 15%. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/316 "2016-05-21T16:55:02Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > but America is not an apartheid nation, nor has ever been. Blacks are 13% of the country; whites are anywhere from 65% (excl. Hispanics) to 78 (incl. Hispanics). In South Africa, whites were 10%, blacks 75%, and coloureds (mixed race) 15%. This contradicts your assertion that majority groups always are in charge. And you continue to ignore the fact that, in this thread, every one of your criticisms about Obama has been shown to have no factual basis. ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/317 "2016-05-21T16:55:33Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > Yes, that, with a particular focus on problems that disproportionately affect people on the basis of their race, such as the lack of inherited wealth and home ownership among black Americans. In short: work to undo the deliberately racists policies of past eras, and instill the ideal of racial (and gender, and religious, and so forth) equality in subsequent generations. Then, wait for older generations to pass away. Right, redo the past. How well has that worked out in history? How about hard work, behaving, and earning respect as other minorities who came to this country did? I don’t buy that its all skin color; look at the Indians (from India), the Chinese, and even the Hispanics. The problems the black community faces indeed have roots in historical injustice, but we can’t undo history! How would we “undo past racist policies?” Didn’t we already get rid of Jim Crow and slavery? The black community has unique problems that other non-white groups don’t face. They really need new political leadership; Sharpton and Jackson play on their victimhood. Why is black crime so high? How much self-flagellation should whites engage in? ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2016, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/318 "2016-05-22T12:30:15Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > Didn’t we already get rid of Jim Crow and slavery? Ah, that ol’ saw of the Democrats: “Racism is over!” [eyeroll] ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2016, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/319 "2016-05-22T14:32:18Z")
And pointing out that racism still exists and still needs to be addressed is cravenly “playing the race card”, unlike those colorblind Republicans. :rolleyes: The answer to both of **Derek** ’s questions is No, btw. ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2016, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286/320 "2016-05-22T15:47:13Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > And pointing out that racism still exists and still needs to be addressed is cravenly “playing the race card”, unlike those colorblind Republicans. :rolleyes: > > The answer to both of **Derek** ’s questions is No, btw. so Jim Crow isn’t over? Blacks are barred from voting in half the country today? Slavery still exists? > [@Pashnish\_Ewing](#): > > Ah, that ol’ saw of the Democrats: “Racism is over!” [eyeroll] While I never said “racism is over,” fact is there is only so much government can do to lower racism. How much more can it do? Why won’t some progressives acknowledge that there is a behavior problem in the black community that other non-white communities lack (Hispanic crime is nowhere near black crime, even more Indian, Chinese, other non-white groups). BTW, Hispanics are [starting to identify](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/22/upshot/more-hispanics-declaring-themselves-white.html?_r=0) [as white](http://prospect.org/article/latino-flight-whiteness), and following the path blazed by Italians, Irish, etc. This is bad news for some of the uber race-progressives. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-divisiveness/748286.md?page=17)